A Promise to Keep
by Lina-Li1
Summary: Several decades after the anime, Ewan Remington comes across a girl who seems to have two sets of memories and realizes history may be trying to repeat itself. Genre may change as the story continues.
1. Prologue

Disclaimer: I do not now nor have I ever owned Chrno Crusade or the characters of Chrno Crusade.

A/N: This is my first Chrno Crusade fic. It is based mostly on the anime but might have a little bit of the manga in there, too. The prologue is a different POV from the rest of the story.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Prologue**

It had been fifty two years since their deaths when I saw him again. Aion. I knew then that it wasn't over. I knew that in some way, history was going to repeat itself. Even knowing that, I wasn't prepared for what I would find thirteen years later. Nothing could have prepared me. Not even an angel can be prepared to come face to face with someone they lost a lifetime ago, especially not on earth. But now I'm getting ahead of myself. Let me start at the beginning.

My name is Ewan Remington. I am not unlike an angel. Many years ago I was part of the Magdalene Order, a quasi-religious group assembled to fight devils and prevent the destruction of the world. That probably sounds pretty dramatic to you but it's all true. Amongst this group was a very unusual pair, a young female exorcist, named Rosette Christopher and her devil partner, Chrono. Rosette's reason for joining the order was to help her in her search for her brother who was stolen away by the devil Aion. You would think such an event would truly turn her against all devils, yet she bound herself to Chrono, who also bore a grudge against Aion, and she and Chrono were closer than an two living beings I have ever known. And I have lived a long, long time.

After the final battle with Aion, Rosette and Chrono disappeared and my guilt led me to leave the order to look after Rosette's brother, who had been left with the mind of a child. Six months later Rosette and Chrono were found together at a small cabin they had been living in. Their lives had ended. The year was 1929.

In the year 1981 I discovered that Aion had not perished in that fight as everyone believed. I discovered this when I caught a glimpse of him at the Vatican. In the years between Rosette and Chrono's deaths and the return of Aion I had not returned to the Magdalene Order but I had kept in touch with those who were still training. At this point, however, nobody was ready to believe that Aion was still alive.

Also within those fifty two years I had begun, in tribute to Rosette, begun to make regular visits to several orphanages to bring gifts or tell stories to the children. It is because of this that in the year 1994 I received the biggest shock of my long and eventful life.

I June of that year, I was visiting a small orphanage in Michigan when a young girl caught my eye. My first glimpse of her was from afar and I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me. Then I began to notice some very familiar mannerisms as well. This intrigued me and I approached the girl. It was then that I realized this was no trick of the eyes. This young girl was in fact the spitting image of the girl I had once known, Rosette Christopher.

When I asked the proprietress about the girl I was told she was a five year old named Rosette with a younger brother at the orphanage. I also learned that she had been born sixty years to the day after I learned of Rosette Christopher's death. I decided at that moment that I would watch over this Rosette and her brother as I had been unable to watch over the Christophers. I decided to end my wandering and adopt this young brother and sister. The proprietress then introduced me to young Rosette. As I reached down to shake her hand, the girl looked up at my face. Her eyes grew wide and she spoke, "Father?"

It was a title I had not used in years and didn't feel I deserved any longer. It shocked me to the core. Therefore, I told her that even though I hoped to adopt her and her brother, I had no wish to be called father again. I asked her to simply call me Ewan, as Joshua Christopher had so long ago. This young girl gave me a quizzical look but complied with my wishes. I let myself believe that she was simply longing for a family and latched on to me as a father figure.

As the years moved on, Rosie (I couldn't bear to call her Rosette any more than I could bear to have her call me Father) gave signs to those around her that she was more than just the girl I discovered in the orphanage. She had what most people would have called a vivid imagination, describing monsters that I myself could picture all too well. Often she would have dreams that she felt were like fragments of memories. Still, most people shrugged it off, so I did as well.

Though I had taken myself away from the Magdalene Order, I felt that it might be the proper place for Rosie to receive her education. This, brought about some unforeseen complications. While studying history, she came across the story of Rosette and Chrono. It fascinated her. She wanted to learn more. She sought out people who had known Rosette Christopher and questioned them. She wanted to know what had happened to Joshua Christopher, to Azmaria Hendricks, to Sisters Kate, Mary, Anne, and Claire. Despite all this though, she never, to my knowledge, asked about either her namesake or the devil, Chrono.

I never really thought to question this, it was an amazing story, until one day when Rosie was about ten years old. I took her to visit the now aged Azmaria. The old woman was also given quite a shock at Rosie's resemblance to the woman she had once known. She still, however, spent an afternoon patiently answering questions and telling her life story. When we left, Rosie remarked to me, "She doesn't look like the picture I have in my head." Even then, I only had the briefest inkling that something unusual was happening.

No, the picture didn't really begin to fall into place until about two years ago. Strange and terrifying things began to occur throughout the world. In the midst of all the turmoil, Rosie's brother went missing. Then I finally began to realize that what I feared that day I saw Aion was coming true. History was repeating itself. But, there was still a bigger surprise yet to come.


	2. Reawakenings

Disclaimer: Nothing has changed. I still don't own Chrono Crusade.

A Promis to Keep

Chapter 1 - Reawakenings

Ewan's POV

When I went to the Order to inform Rosie of her brother's disappearance, she sighed and asked, "He's back, isn't he? Aion?"

I could only nod and tell her that appeared to be a correct assessment of the situation.

She spoke again, "Does that mean Chrono will be back again as well? I want to see him. For real this time."

My surprise must have shown on my face for she continued, "I have dreams, you know? Dreams that I think are about the past. About real people. It's like I have two sets of memories. One set are my own, that I can see all of. The other set I only see bits and pieces of. I don't know where they come from but they have become clearer as I've gotten older. I've seen you in them from time to time. Did you know that I recognized you the first time we met at the orphanage? I know what Azmaria used to look like. I also see a red haired woman sometimes. But most of all, I see Chrono. I've never really met him, but I feel like I miss him sometimes.

A moment later she blinked as though confused. It seemed these "memories" didn't always stay with her. I didn't hear another word from her about Rosette or Chrono from her until earlier this year. On her 17th birthday, she asked me again if I thought Chrono was coming back. Having no answer to give her, I was happy for the distraction of the ringing phone.

"Hello?"

The voice on the other line shocked me. Not so much by who it was but by what they were telling me. With a glace over at Rosie, I gave a sigh, "I understand. I'm on my way."

Elsewhere

The room was dimly lit and if you were merely to glance at it, you would probably think it was empty. If you took your time and let your eyes adjust to the dark, you could spot the figure of a young man curled up on the floor in the far corner of the room. His long hair hung loose and limp behind him. His eyes, a most spectacular color when open, were squeezed shut. Though he had no noticeable injury, it was obvious to anyone who saw him that he was in pain.

His pain did not, in fact, come from any physical injury. It came from the simple knowledge that he was alive. He was alive and the only person who had truly cared about him, the only person he had truly loved was dead. He didn't even know exactly how long it had been since she died. But she had died because of him and he should be dead as well.

Actually, he had been dead. The return of Aion had changed things, however. He had been one of the two that fought against Aion in the final battle, the one who defeated Aion. So, against the traditional laws of all the worlds of angels, devils, and humans, he had been brought back from death to fight again. He had even had his power restored to him so he would not need to contract with a human again. But the agony he felt, knowing Rosette to be long deceased, kept him in room, alive but not living. He remained this way, hoping he would be allowed to return to the refuge of death. He remained this way until the day he received an unexpected visitor.

The stream of light from the door irritated him enough to make him raise his head and discover who had disturbed him. He found himself looking into a familiar face. The face belonged to a man he had met at two previous times in his first life. A man who brought with him painful memories of the two people who had been most important in his life. The two women he had failed to save.

The young man pushed himself off the floor so he was standing face to face with the intruder. Giving a resigned sigh he spoke his first coherent words since being reborn, "Father Remington. You haven't changed at all."

"Oh, I've changed," answered the blond man, "more than you know. So have you. Got your horns back, I see. By the way, it's not Father Remington anymore. I'm just Ewan now. Have been since you and Rosette disappeared all those years ago."

A look of pain showed on the young man's face at the mention of the name but the blonde man wasn't finished, "Chrono, I know it hurts you to remember. But you were the one who got to go with her. Those of us who were left behind continued our lives and did what we had to do. We didn't quit fighting. Now Aion is back. The need to keep fighting is greater than ever. Rosette wouldn't have sat sulking in isolation and I don't think she would have wanted you to, either."

"Rosette fought because she had someone worth fighting for. I don't. Not anymore," Chrono replied.

"Do you really believe that?"

The pain and weariness on Chrono's face were suddenly replaced by surprise, "What do you mean?"

"If you want to know, come with me. We'll make a few stops to visit with an old friend or two then we'll head to the Magdalene Order. There is someone there I want you to meet. I think you will find this person quite interesting," answered Ewan.

"I can't go back to the Magdalene Order!"

"Ah, but I think you must," Ewan spoke frankly, "Don't worry. We'll stop first and see a friendly face. You remember Azmaria, I hope? She's changed a bit but she'll be happy to see you.

"Azmaria? She's still alive?" asked a bewildered Chrono.

Ewan smiled, "Oh, well, she's much older to be sure but, yes, she's still hanging in there. She recently relived her tales with you and Rosette for a documentary. She joined the militia ,herself, after…well, you know. A few years later, Joshua's memories returned to him and the two were married."

"So, then, is Joshua still….?"

Ewan answered Chrono's unfinished question, "Unfortunately, he passed away about twenty years ago but they had a good many years together."

Chrono nodded, taking in all this information. He then announced, "I have one more question."

"And that would be?"

"Well," began the devil, "how long has it been since we…since we fought Aion?"

Ewan noticed the pause along with the pained expression that accompanied it, "It's been seventy-eight years, Chrono. You need to be prepared. The world is a very different place from what it was when you last saw it."

"Of course it is!" snapped Chrono, "She's gone!"

Chrono instantly regretted his words but the man in front of him merely nodded and gave him a sad, sympathetic smile, "I know how you feel but we still need you to come back and join us. Now, will you come with me to Azmaria's or not?"

After a moment's hesitation, Chrono nodded. Ewan turned to walk out the door and he followed, squinting at the brightness he no longer believed belonged in the world.

When they reached Azmaria's residence, Ewan was proven correct. Azmaria was indeed happy to see her old friend again, "Well bless my soul! It's Chrono! I never thought I would see you again. It's a great surprise!"

Chrono stared at the floor as he replied, "And I didn't expect to be seen again, either."

Noting the gut wrenching sorrow in his voice, Azmaria's eyes turned to Ewan, "Does he know about….?"

"No," answered Ewan when Azmaria's voice trailed off, "I'm taking him to the Order after this. I didn't think he would believe me if I just told him. He has to see for himself."

'And so does she,' he added in his head.

"What wouldn't I believe?"

"You'll see shortly," the blond man answered cryptically, "We will head out momentarily. Azmaria, it has been lovely to see you, as always. I hope you understand that we cannot to stay today. Perhaps we will call again tomorrow.

"Please do," Azmaria's voice held a nostalgic quality, "Good-bye Ewan, Chrono."


	3. Reunion

Disclaimer: Chrno Crusade will never belong to me.

A/N: This chapter is a little more light-hearted than the previous chapters. It is mainly about Rosette. I may go over the end of this chapter again more from Chrono's POV next time.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 2: Reunion**

"Does everyone understand the assignment?" the teacher called from the front of the room, "I want you to split up into to groups of four and begin planning."

In the back corner of the room, four girls moved their seats together. This group consisted of two blondes, a brunette, and a redhead. They had been the best of friends since entering classes at the Magdalene Order. As they sat down in their newly placed seats, the brunette turned to one of the blondes, "So, Rosie, did your dad do anything special for your birthday?"

"Ewan," the blonde replied, stressing the name, "took off right after breakfast. He got a phone call and took off like a bat out of hell. Personally, I think he was relieved to get that phone call. I had just asked him about Chrono again."

"Oh, you didn't," Marie, the other blonde said reprovingly.

"Speaking of your birthday," chimed in Annabelle, the redhead, changing the subject, "Now that you're seventeen, are you going to sign up for the militia exam?"

"Of course! I would have taken it already if they hadn't made that stupid age rule. You didn't always have to be seventeen to join the militia. Why they had to…."

The other three girls sighed and tried to tune out their friend. They all knew full well that once Rosie Remington had started in on one of her tirades, there was little one could do to stop her until she simply ran out of steam. Unfortunately, this time it was the teacher who made the first attempt, "Miss Remington? Miss Remington! MISS REMINGTON!"

Noticing her friend's lack of reaction, the brunette poked Rosie hard in the ribs, causing the blonde girl to cry out, "Jeepers! What'd you do that for, Clarissa?"

Marie was the one who answered, "The teacher has been trying to get your attention for a couple of minutes now."

"What? Oh."

Rosie looked over to where the teacher stood, red-faced and fuming, "Miss Remington, now that I have your attention, let me inform you that you are to go to the headmistress's office immediately. Your father is waiting there for you. Also, you have extra clean up duty for the rest of this week."

"Don't call him my father. He's not my father. He won't even let me call him that," Rosie mumbled as she started to gather up her things. Suddenly she stopped and tilted her head before breaking out into a huge grin.

"What's with you today, Rosie?" asked Annabelle, "I've never seen you seen you smile at the thought of extra work."

"Or the thought of a trip to Sister Kristine's office," Clarissa added.

The spunky young blonde shook her head, "It's not that. It's…I…I think it has something to do with Chrono.

"Not that again," the other three sighed in unison. Marie continued, "I'll never understand your obsession with that devil. Especially since he died almost eighty years ago."

Rosie, however, heard none of this. She was already scurrying out the door. Her walk to Sister Kristine's office was fraught with emotional turmoil. She didn't know where she got the idea that Ewan's visit had something to do with Chrono. It didn't really make sense. If Ewan visited with news of another person it was usually Azmaria or occasionally a lead on her brother's whereabouts. But, since the idea entered her head, she couldn't shake it and she didn't quite know how she should, or did, feel about it. She was excited and terrified at the same time. These feelings melted away, however, as she entered Sister Kristine's office to find Ewan calmly having tea with the headmistress. He didn't look as though he had any urgent news of any kind. This left Rosie thoroughly confused.

Upon seeing his charge enter, Ewan rose to meet her, "Ah, Rosie. I'm glad you're here. I have something for you."

"What is it?" Rosie asked, forgetting her perplex ion, "Is it a present? Are you finally going to answer my question? Or is it going to be an explanation as to why you ran out the door so quickly this morning? On my birthday of all days!"

"Well, actually, it's all three of those things. I'm having you pulled out of classes for the rest of the day for this."

Rosie had a look of pure shock on her face. She glanced over at Sister Kristine, who gave a small nod of consent. Whatever Ewan had cooked up had to be huge if Sister Kristine was allowing her to be excused from classes for the day. Turning back to Ewan, she asked, "Okay. What exactly is going on here?"

"As you know," Ewan began his explanation, "I received a phone call this morning. During that phone call I also received some news regarding an old acquaintance of mine, someone I had not seen for many long years. I left in such a hurry to go see him, as the news I received was rather startling. Oh, don't worry, it's not bad news. Anyway, as I was on my way there it occurred to me that, if he was willing, he might be the best person to tell you about Chrono and answer your question about the possibility of his return. You see, this individual knows more about Rosette Christopher and Chrono than any living person in the world. It took some persuading but I got him to agree to join me."

"So, where is he?' questioned Rosie, glancing around the room. She, Ewan and Sister Kristine were the only occupants.

Ewan let out a sigh, "For reasons of his own, he refuses to enter the grounds of the Order. I took him home. He's waiting there to meet you."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for? Let's get going! Oh, this is so exciting!"

Ewan watched his adopted daughter bounce around the room in anticipation of her "gift." He couldn't help smiling at her excitement, yet his smile was tinged with sadness. He prayed with all his heart that he was doing the right thing. Neither girl nor devil deserved the suffering they would face if this was a mistake. It was, however, too late to turn back now. With a nod to Sister Kristine, Ewan collected the girl and led her to the car.

Rosie was unusually quiet on the drive home. When Ewan parked the car ad jumped out, he was surprised to see her linger in her seat. He had expected her to go catapulting out of the car and racing up the stairs to the apartment. It seemed, though, that after her initial bout of excitement, the teenager developed a case of nerves. Not that he blamed her. Though she didn't know it she was in for quite of a shock. Opening her car door, he gently prodded the girl along, "Go on. There's nothing to be afraid of. He's up there waiting. When I left, he was in the dining room. You go on up. I'll be right behind you. I just have to get something out of the trunk first."

Finding courage in the older man's words, Rosie started toward the stairs. With each step her excitement grew and her pace quickened. When she entered the apartment she was nearly at a run but she stopped dead in her tracks as she reached to archway leading into the dining room. Her eyes grew wide at the sight before her. For a moment she forgot to breathe. When she remembered, her first breath came out speaking his name, "C-Chrono?"

Chrono froze when he heard a familiar voice speak his name. It was a voice he wouldn't forget with the passing of a million years. He was sure he was going mad. Fearful, yet needing to know the truth, he turned to the direction the voice had come from. Standing in the archway, one hand over her mouth, was a woman he thought he had lost forever. Coming up behind her was a smiling Ewan Remington. Shakily, Chrono rose to his feet and walked over to the young woman, "R-Rosette? Is-Is it really you?"

When she nodded, Chrono's eyes filled with tears and he reached hid had up to caress her cheek. When he touched her, her eyes went even wider for the space of a few seconds before she fainted in his arms.


	4. Remembering

Disclaimer: Chrno Crusade belongs to Moriyama Daisuke. That's not me.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch.3 - Remembering**

Chrono's eyes filled with panic as he stared at the unconscious girl in his arms. Not wanting to, he tore his gaze away form her and turned it to her adopted father, "What happened?! What's wrong with her?! The Rosette I know wouldn't just faint like that!"

"I don't know what happened," Ewan replied, meeting the devil's eye, "I'm not even sure that she is the Rosette that you knew before. Sometimes, I'm convinced that she is but other times she seems to be nothing more that Rosie Remington, a girl with a remarkable resemblance to someone who died a long time ago."

"I want to know everything you can tell me about her. How you found her. How she knew who I was if you're not sure she's Rosette. Everything."

The bond man nodded, "First, we should lay her down. I'll show you to her room, then I will tell you everything I know."

Chrono followed Ewan to Rosie's room and gently laid the girl down on the bed. He straightened and took a step back from the bed, staring down at her familiar face. His expression, as he gazed at her, was a mixture of tenderness, sorrow, and worry. He reluctantly turned to face the man standing on the other side of the bed, "Can you tell me the story here? I-I don't want to leave her. If…if she really is Rosette…."

Ewan nodded in understanding as Chrono's voice trailed off. Chrono sighed in relief. The man in front of him always had been one of the people who had best understood the relationship he and Rosette had shared. He took the seat that Ewan offered him and settled in for what he knew would likely be a long story.

Chrono was surprised by Ewan's starting point to the story. He started by describing the day he received the phone call informing him that Chrono and Rosette had been found , dead on a porch in the middle of nowhere. He mentioned his conversation with Sister Kate, telling her that Rosette would get into heaven when he, himself was certain of no such thing. He told Chrono about the years he spent taking care of Joshua and of Joshua's surprise recovery, grief and marriage. He informed the devil of his sighting of Aion in the Vatican City over twenty five years ago. He spoke of finding Rosie and her brother at the orphange when Rosie was five and of her brother's disappearance. Then he lowered his voice, "The called me Father that first day. At the time, despite her obvious resemblance to Rosette, I thought it was just wishful thinking of a child who longed for a family. It wasn't until years later that she told me the truth."

"And that was?"

"She told me," answered Ewan, "that throughout her life, she had seen flashes of memories that were not from her own life. She said that as she got older the memories became clearer but were still far from complete. Then she told me that when we first met at the orphanage, she recognized me from these memories but that what she saw most was you,

Chrono felt numb. He desperately wanted to believe that, somehow, the girl now lying before him was the same girl who had once been his partner and contractor. He wanted to believe that they had been given a second chance. He wanted to believe but he was afraid of what would happen if he got his hopes up only to have them dashed away again when this girl awakened. Thinking for a moment, he realized he was also afraid of what would happen if she was indeed the Rosette that he had known. His Rosette had not only been a magnet for danger, she also had a bit of a violent streak that she tended to unleash upon him. Breaking his own prolonged silence, Chrono addressed Ewan, "You've explained everything except what might have made her collapse like that."

"As I mentioned before, I am unaware of the cause. Perhaps she will be able to answer that question when she awakens. I must get going for now. I have an appointment that I cannot cancel, even for such an unexpected situation as this. Am I correct in assuming that you plan to stay by her side until she regains consciousness?"

Chrono glanced at Rosie's face when Ewan asked this question. He took a deep breath before nodding his answer. Ewan tipped his head in acknowledgement of Chrono's reply then left the room. When he heard the door to the apartment click shut, he pulled his chair closer to the head of the bed. Reaching out his hand, he hesitantly touched the sleeping girl's cheek. Even more hesitantly, he moved his hand to her forehead and brushed her bangs back from her face. He let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding when he saw the smooth, unmarred skin of her forehead. So far, at least, this Rosette had been spared from the pain of the stigmata. His relief was so profound he was near tears. He folded his arms on the bed and rested his head on his forearms. From this position, he whispered to the girl, "This time it's going to be different, Rosette. I'm not going to fail this time. I'll keep my promise. I won't let you die, no matter what."

He was unsure exactly when he fell asleep or how long he'd been out but Chrono was awakened from his slumber by a load groan from the occupant of the bed. Shooting upright in his chair, he all but screamed her name, "Rosette? Rosette, are you awake? Can you hear me?"

Without opening her eyes, the young blonde mumbled, "Let me sleep five more minutes."

Chrono stared down at her in disbelief. He wasn't sure whether to be annoyed or amused. It was just like old times. As he reached out to try shaking the girl awake, she suddenly sat up, throwing off the covers, shouting his name, her eyes darting around the room. When her eyes landed on him, she still as if frozen in place.

"I'm glad you're awake," he said, "You had me pretty worried there."

Chrono's voice broke Rosie out of her trance. She blinked and lifted her hand as if to reach out and touch him. She then dropped her hand back into her lap. Instead of touching him, she leaned forward, her eyes staring into his. After a moment, he saw something flicker in her eyes and she smiled, "It wasn't a dream? You are really here?"

Unable to speak, Chrono nodded and touched her hand. The next moment he was nearly knocked out of his chair when Rosie threw herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. Her actions surprised Chrono but he wasn't about to complain. At any rate, he didn't get the chance to react. A few seconds after attacking him, Rosie lifted her head.

"Chrono?" she questioned, slowly taking in their surroundings, "What the hell are you doing in my room, you pervert?!"

Instead of replying, Chrono burst out laughing, much to Rosie's exasperation. He had no doubt now that Rosie Remington and Rosetter Christopher were one in the same. It became even more obvious when she growled out, "Stop laughing and answer me!"

"Father…I mean Ewan had me bring you here after you fainted earlier," explained Chrono, "He told me about finding you and about your memories. But I had two questions he couldn't answer."

"First?" prompted Rosie.

"What happened when you touched me? Why did you faint?"

Rosie closed her eyes, "He told you I had memories from a life that wasn't this one? And he told you that those memories were incomplete? That was true…until I touched you. Everything that wasn't there came flooding into my head. I saw Rosette Christopher's whole life. I remember it all. At the time, it was just too much stress to absorb at once."

Chrono smiled, "I think that might answer the second question then."

"And what was that?"

"I wanted to know," he began, "if you, Rosie Remington, are Rosette Christopher."

"I can't say for hundred percent sure," Rosie answered with a laugh, "but I'm thinking there's a pretty good chance that I am."

"That's what I was thinking, too. So, then, what do I call you? Rosie or Rosette?"

"Rosette," she replied without hesitation, "It is my real name in this life, too. Besides, I never really liked the nickname Rosie. I was just never able to get Ewan to listen when I told him that."

"Maybe he will now," Chrono said.

"I hope you're right. Anyway, can we continue this later. We need to get some food. I'm starving!"

Chrono chuckled to himself. Some things would never change, no matter how many lifetimes came and went, "So, are you going to cook for me?"

"Are you serious?" Rosette asked, "I can barely boil water. We're going out. There are so many more kinds of restaurants available now than there were in the 1920s. We could get food from any country in the world. What kind of food do you feel like?"

Chrono could only stare blankly. He wasn't even sure what his options were. Realizing his dilemma, Rosette laughed at him, "Never mind. I know just the place. Let me leave a note for Ewan and then we'll be off."


	5. Restaurant

Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade or any of the Chrno Crusade characters.

A/N: The restaurant in this chapter is based on a real restaurant, although it is nowhere near New York, where the story is taking place. The outfit that Rosette (I will call her that from this point on in the story) is wearing is based on an outfit that Azmaria wears near the end of the manga.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 4 - Restaurant**

Chrono sat down across from Rosette and surveyed their surroundings. The restaurant could seat around forty people, he guessed, but only about half the seats were full at the moment. The room had scarlet walls with dark mahogany accents and furniture, covered with seemingly random paraphernalia. The lighting was soft and yellow, giving the place a warm, homey feel. Returning his gaze to the girl who brought him here, Chrono remarked, "This is an interesting place."

"It's one of my favorite places in the world," replied Rosette, "I try to come here whenever I'm in a bad mood. It always helps me feel a little bit better. Not that I only come here when I'm in a bad mood. I actually come here at least once every other week. Everyone here knows me."

As if to prove her correct, one of the staff members choose that moment to come up to the table, "Hey, Rosie! Good to see you as always. I see you've brought a friend along this time."

Rosette blushed slightly, "Hey, Shawn. This is Chrono. He's…an old friend of mine. And by the way, I'm going by Rosette now."

"Your old man finally caved in?" Shawn asked with a chuckle, "Well, then, Miss Rosette, what will you and your friend be having today?"

"I think I'll have the tacos, the fried rice, the chicken and tomato pasta, and a side of fries. Chrono, I think you might like the seafood rice bowl."

Chrono nodded his consent at her selection for him and, when Shawn left, gave her a small smile, "You're definitely the same Rosette. She's the only person I've ever known who would even consider eating so much in one meal."

"Well, I have a reputation to uphold. Two years ago, at the fair, I won a pie eating contest. It was one of my greatest achievements in this lifetime," she told him with a triumphant smile on her face.

"What else has happened to you in this lifetime?" asked Chrono, "I know the part of you that is Rosette Christopher. I want to learn more about the part of you that is Rosie Remington."

"Oh, where to begin. Well, I was born on this day in the year 1989 to parents I barely remember. My brother was born in June of 1990. My parents died when I was almost three years old. As you now, I've had flashes of Rosette Christopher's memories my entire life. Nobody at the orphanage understood. They just kept saying I had a runaway imagination," explained Rosette.

Chrono broke into the conversation, "What's your brother's name? Neither you nor Ewan has mentioned it so far."

"That might be because that's where the story really begins to get weird," she answered.

"Weirder than having memories from a past life?"

Rosette rewarded Chrono's attempt to lighten the mood with a smile, "Yes and no. My brother's name is Joshua. Growing up everyone called him Josh, like they called me Rosie. Still, I could see that Ewan and Azmaria thought it was strange. Maybe even creepy."

"All things considered, I don't really think it's a coincidence," said Chrono.

"No," she replied, "Neither do I. I guess, in some ways, knowing who I am and how I'm different from other people makes me feel responsible or what happened to Josh. I mean, it's the same thing happening all over again."

"It isn't your fault though," Chrono informed her, "Aion wouldn't have taken your brother if there weren't some direct benefit for him. It's just a guess but I think that your brother might be just like you. Do you know if he ever saw any of Joshua Christopher's memories?"

Rosette looked startled. It was obvious to Chrono that the idea had never occurred to her before, "I…no, I don't think so. He never said…I don't know."

"Well," Chrono wanted to change the subject, "we'll have time to try and figure that out later. Right now, why don't you tell me more about yourself?"

The next hour passed by rather pleasantly. Once the food arrived and Rosette lost herself in the telling of her life story, the conversation about Josh had been all but forgotten. Rosette told Chrono about growing up with Ewan and about the first time she met Azmaria. She told him about her first day at the Magdalene Order and about becoming friends with Annabelle, Clarissa, and Marie.

"And now that I'm seventeen, I'm planning on taking the test to join the militia. You have to be seventeen now. They created that rule in the 1950s," she finished up.

Chrono momentarily glanced at what she was wearing and asked, "Is this the uniform of the Order now?"

"It is if you're taking classes there," she replied also looking at her outfit, which consisted of a white shirt, a blue vest with gold trim at the neck and waist, a blue and gold striped tie, a skirt of gray, blue, gold and white plaid and gray socks, "They want us to look like ordinary prep school students. Most people don't remember the truth about the Magdalene Order anymore."

By this point they had finished eating and Rosette was getting out her money to pay. When Shawn brought back the change, Rosette stood up and grabbed Chrono's hand to pull him up next to her. She waved to the staff members as they said good-bye to her then she dragged Chrono out the door and to a nearby park. She sat down on a bench and motioned for him to do likewise. When he was seated beside her she asked, "What about you? You're different from the Chrono in most of my memories. Not to mention, that was a pretty nifty trick you did as we were leaving the apartment; making your horns disappear like that. What's that all about?"

"From what I can tell," Chrono responded, "when it became apparent that Aion had returned, I was brought back from the death I had welcomed all those years ago. After all, I was the one who 'defeated' Aion in that last battle. To ensure that I would be able to beat him again, I even had my horns returned to me to increase my power. In my true form, it is not difficult to make small adjustments to my appearance to make myself slightly less noticeable."

"With purple hair and red eyes? And that height?" Rosette nearly laughed out loud

"That's why I said slightly."

"So, I guess that means not everything is going to happen exactly like last time. I mean, if you have your horns, you don't need…" Rosette let her voice trail off.

Chrono picked up on her thought and finished the sentence, "I don't need a contractor. You're safe in that respect, at least."

"I see."

Chrono turned his head to look at the girl seated next to him. The tone of her voice surprised him almost as much as seeing her had initially. She sounded disappointed or even sad. Unsure what had caused this reaction, Chrono felt the corners of his mouth turn down in a confused frown as he nudged Rosette, "What's wrong? That was supposed to be good news."

"I know," she sighed, "It's just that, even though the contract would shorten my life, it would bind us together. It's a little bit sad to know that bond isn't going to be there."

"Contract or no contract, I am bound to you forever, Rosette."

Before she had time to ponder over the meaning of Chrono's statement, Rosette noticed a familiar shadow flying overhead. She gasped and turned startled eyes to the devil sitting next to her. He met her eyes and nodded, "He's nearby."


	6. Return

Disclaimer: I don't own Chrno Crusade.

A/N: Sorry for the wait. I had a really tough week last week and couldn't get anything done. Also, this chapter does include part of Psalm 86. I thought it worked well with this part of the story. If you are not interested in the religious aspect of it, please don't let it keep you from reading this.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 5- Return**

The angel and the devil jumped up from the bench and ran in the direction the bird had been flying. Realizing that Rosette could not keep up on foot, Chrono scooped her up into his arms and leapt into the air. When they reached their destination and touched down, the scene in front of them seemed all too familiar. Aion stood, watching their descent from his perch on rim of a large fountain. Seated next to him was another face from that past that made Chrono's heart stop.

"Josh!" Rosette cried, confirming Chrono's fear before turning her eyes to Aion, "Aion, you bastard! Give me back my brother!"

Aion smirked in response, "Ah, good. You DO remember. That will make things so much more interesting."

"Aion, I swear, if you do anything to Rosette, I will kill you without hesitation," growled Chrono.

"Like you did last time?" Aion's smirk grew as he started walking towards the girl. He stopped right in front of her, staring at her face. Rosette did not back down. She met his cold stare with a glaring one of her own. In the next moment, before she had time to react, his hand shot out and pushed the bangs back away from her face. His expression turned sour, "She isn't ready yet…but…that doesn't mean I can't have a little fun."

Chrono watched as Aion bent his head and kissed the now struggling Rosette, "God damn you, Aion!"

"It's a bit too late for that, I'm afraid," Aion answered when he lifted his head, "He damned me a long time ago. And you as well, if you recall."

"I remember. That's why I refuse to side with you. I am trying to make my peace with God; to atone for my past sins."

Aion now laughed, "A devil making peace with God? And not just any devil but Chrono the Sinner, Slayer of One Hundred Million? Such an idea is unthinkable. The only way you will ever find redemption is to join me and overthrow the heavens which condemned you in the first place."

"No," Chrono roared, "I will never follow you again. All you do is bring pain and suffering to the world. You will never succeed in overthrowing the heavens, I promise you that. Last time, I made a promise to Rosette that I failed to keep. I won't let that happen again."

Aion whirled around and charged at Chrono. Both devils leapt into the air, clashing against each other in their airborne battle. Rosette stood frozen in place, her gaze turned skyward as she anxiously awaited the outcome of the fight. Every time Chrono struck Aion, part of her cheered. Every time Aion struck a blow against Chrono, she winced as if she were the one who had been struck. Several feet away from her, her all but forgotten brother remained seated on the fountain rim, seemingly oblivious to the fighting going on around him. Rosette glanced at him for a brief moment before returning her gaze to the battle, just in time to see Aion ram himself head first into Chrono's stomach. Rosette nearly cried out as she watched the purple-haired demon fall toward the ground at an alarming pace. The impact created an explosion of concrete that then rained back down from the sky.

When the dust cleared, Rosette saw Aion had landed and was purposefully striding towards the crater that Chrono was now pulling himself out of. Chrono turned a death glare on Aion and was preparing for an attack when Josh, using speed that was completely inhuman, moved himself between the two dueling devils. He faced Chrono with a blank expression and dead eyes.

"Hiding behind a human, Aion?" sneered Chrono, "You are despicable."

"Oh, he's not a shield. He's a weapon; one I know you won't fight against," Aion's voice range out, "Trying to avoid his attacks without hurting him should prove to be enough of a distraction for you while I see to his sister."

"Aion…." Chrono was cut off from his retort as Josh initiated his attack. Chrono dodged and evaded, while trying to keep an eye on Rosette. Aion was slowly making his way to where the girl stood, making no move to escape. Chrono silently pleaded with her to turn and run but the girl remained still. Chrono ran through his options. He could continue avoiding Josh's attack and allow Aion to do whatever he had planned to Rosette or he could attack the brother to buy himself time to save the sister. Neither option was ideal.

Before Chrono could make up his mind, he realized Rosette was speaking, "O God, the insolent rise up against me; a band of ruffians seeks my life, and they do not set you before them. But you, O Lord are a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness. Turn to me and be gracious to me; give your strength to your servant; save the child of you serving girl. Show me a sign of your favor so that those who hate me may see it and be put to shame because you , Lord, have helped me and comforted me."

Chrono watched in awe as Aion was suddenly thrown back. When the white-haired devil regained his footing, he looked amused, "The psalm of prayer for protection against one's enemies? You really must be one of His favored ones."

Chrono followed Aion's gaze and noticed Rosette had her eyes squeezed shut in pain as she tried to clutch both of her wrists with the opposite hands. Chrono's eyes widened fearfully, "No."

"This time she brought it upon herself," Aion said as he turned to face Chrono, "And so it begins."

Aion snapped his fingers and he and Josh vanished from sight. Chrono ran and sank down at the side of the girl who had collapsed to her knees. He gently grabbed her arms and pulled them apart. When she released her hold on her wrists, he glanced down. His fear was realized as when he saw the bleeding marks adorning each wrist. He pulled her into his arms, "Oh, Rosette. Why? Why is this happening again? Why did you ask for a sign of God's favor? I can't…I don't want to lose you again, Rosette."

"You're not going to lose me," she replied with a shaky smile, "I've gotten stronger, too, you know? Without the contract eating up my time, I can handle this. We just need to believe in each other's strength."

Chrono was silent. He lifted Rosette in his arms before finally speaking, "I'm taking you back home. You need to get some rest. After that, I have a few questions."

Rosette nodded, "So do I."


	7. Reconciliation

Disclaimer: I do not now, nor will I ever own Chrno Crusade or any of its characters.

A/N: Sorry everyone. I would have had this posted a week ago but my computer will not let me sign in on FFN (or check my e-mail). It's drivning me crazy. So I had to wait until I could re-type it onto another computer. Anyway, this chapter is about Ewan. I hope you enjoy it. Big thanks to everyone who has reviewed so far.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 6 - Reconciliation**

Ewan was waiting for them when Chrono carried Rosette back into the apartment. Upon seeing their weakened states, he jumped up from his seat at the dining room table and ran to the pair, "What happened? I thought you were just going to a restaurant but look at the two of you!"

"We did go to the restaurant," Rosette began. Chrono's grip on her tightened and she fell silent.

Ewan lifted his eyes to meet Chrono's, "And then?"

"We ran into Aion. Josh was with him. He got away but not before damage was inflicted - on both sides."

"What do you mean?" asked Ewan, "What did he do to you two?"

Chrono lowered his eyes, peering down at the girl in his arms. With a defeated sigh he set her down and pulled up the sleeves of her shirt far enough for Ewan to see the tell-tale marks on her wrists. Ewan could not contain his shock and released it in the form of a gasp. Like Chrono, he had seen these marks twice before on young blonde women who had won the affection of this particular devil.

"I see. Rosie, why don't you go rest in your room? You look exhausted," it was phrased as a suggestion but everyone present heard the command in Ewan's tone. When Rosette left the room, the blond man turned to the purple-haired devil, "I'm sorry Chrono. I know how upsetting this must be for you. You've watched this same thing happen twice before and...well...the similarities are..."

"It's not going to end that way again!" Chrono roared, cutting off Ewan's remark.

"So, you will fight alongside the Order again?"

Chrono glared at the man facing him, "How could I not? Rosette's life is on the line. Again. Besides, that's why I was brought back, isn't it? To help in the fight against Aion? I will fight and this time I will save Rosette and her brother."

Ewan nodded, "Very good. I'm going out again for awhile. I have some things to do and some things to think over. The sofa folds out into a bed if you need to rest. There are extra pillows and blankets in the closet in the entryway. I don't know how long I'll be gone but I should be back by morning."

"Wait! There's one more thing I should tell you. Rosette did something today; something I didn't know was even possible," Chrono said before explaining the scenario he had witnessed.

Ewan listened then gave Chrono a startled look before grabbing his coat and keys and heading out the door, locking it behind him. He paused briefly on the outdoor steps as he debated whether or not he should take the car. His destination was some distance away but, then again, the walk just might do him some good. Putting his keys in his pocket, he began to walk down the sidewalk.

The sun was beginning to set but the city streets at night did not faze him. He had faced beings much darker than any human foes he might encounter here. One such dark being had now returned. Chrono's declaration of his intention to fight made Ewan think. While he still had some ties with the Magdalene Order, he had not actually fought amongst them since Rosette and Chrono's disappearance more than three quarters of a century ago. What would happen now? What were the Order's odds of winning? True, since his time with them, the Order had developed even more sophisticated weaponry but it seemed likely that Aion had as well.

These thoughts, and others similar to them, occupied Ewan's mind during his almost two hour walk to his destination. When he arrived at the gates, he sighed. He had been here just this afternoon but, in many ways, it had been so much longer. Stepping through the gates, he was approached by a man in a blue uniform. Addressing the man, he asked, "Is Sister Kristine available? I have some urgent news to report to her."

"She's in her office," the man replied, "I trust you can find your way."

Ewan grimaced. He may have left the Order long ago but every full-fledged exorcist among them knew his past. Sister Kate had seen to that, informing her replacement that his role was never to be forgotten in case the day ever came when the would need his assistance again. That day had apparently arrived.

When he knocked on the door to Sister Kristine's office, she welcomed him in, "Ah, Ewan. Two visits in one day! To what do I owe this honor? Sit, sit. Would you like some tea?"

"No, thank you," he answered her second question, "I don't see how you can drink it so late in the evening."

"I wasn't aware that angels felt the effects of caffeine," she laughed.

"Yes, well, there are many things that humans don't know about angels."

"I imagine that's true," replied Sister Kristine, turning suddenly serious, "So, why have you come here?"

"You know why I pulled Rosie out of class today?" Ewan asked in return, though he already knew the answer.

Sister Kristine nodded, "You found Chrono."

"Yes, I found Chrono. Chrono met Rosie. Then, the two of them met Aion. Chrono said that Aion had Josh with him. And now, Rosie has the first marks of the stigmata."

"Then, it is as we have feared?" the Sister asked.

"Yes, but that's not all," explained Ewan, "Right before I left the apartment, Chrono told me that during the confrontation today, Rosie managed to create a barrier that repelled Aion. He said Aion seemed to believe this acted as a catalyst for the stigmata appearing."

"A barrier? How? She shouldn't have had any equipment with her."

"She didn't," Ewan confirmed, "She created the barrier using the Psalm for protection against enemies. That's what Chrono told me and I have no reason not to believe him."

Sister Kristine stared at Ewan in shock, "Amazing. I never imagined...How can she be that strong?"

"Well, Rosette Christopher was always stronger than she was given credit for. Even so, maybe she was unable to reach her full potential in her short lifetime. Maybe, Rosie is showing skills Rosette would have shown had she lived longer."

Sister Kristine nodded, taking in the information, "Thank you for informing me of this. However, I think this is not the only reason you have come here."

"You are as perceptive as ever, Sister Kristine," Ewan responded with a small, lopsided smile, "I would like to make use of the chapel, if I may?"

"Of course."

Ewan made his way to the chapel. He stopped outside the door to summon up strength for what he was about to do. He pulled the door open and slowly moved to the front of the large room, where he lit three candles. He knelt down and turned his face upwards. After several minutes, he spoke, "I have not spoken to you for seventy-eight years, but I know you are still listening to me now. I am ready to rejoin the fight. I will become your servant, and Father Remington of the Magdalene Order, once again.


	8. Restless

Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade or any of the Chrno Crusade characters.

A/N: Sorry this took so long. I started a new job and had a really crazy schedule for a couple of weeks, then I got sick, and my computer is still not working properly. This is the last chapter that is all the same day. It's really just kind of a filler chapter but I thought it was kind of fun.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 7- Restless**

Chrono toured the apartment after Ewan left. There were so many objects that were completely foreign to him. He was almost afraid to touch anything, not knowing what would happen if he did. He finally decided to just sit down on the sofa and take everything in. He began to notice that a lot of the unfamiliar objects were roughly box-shaped. There was one on the desk off to the side of the room, a small one on the wall, and three (of varying sizes) in a cabinet across the room from him. All of these objects had buttons, or lights, or numbers, or some combination of the three on them.

As he sat there, pondering the advancements in technology over the last seventy-eight years, Chrono found himself wishing he were in need of a rest. He had to admit to himself that he was becoming very uncomfortable with his current situation. He stood up and walked to the large box across from him, planning to give it a closer inspection.

"That's a television," spoke a familiar voice from behind him as he bent over the device to see the back, "You've never seen one before, have you?"

Rather that answer her question, Chrono asked one of his own, "What are you doing up? Ewan told you to rest."

Rosette shrugged as Chrono turned around to face her, "I couldn't sleep. I'm tired but I'm not sleepy and just laying still has never been something I was very good at. So, I waited until I was sure, from the sound of things, that Ewan was gone and I came back out."

"Are you sure?" asked Chrono, "You did go through a lot today."

"That? That was just really good training."

Chrono gave the girl a quizzical glance, "Training? What do you mean?"

"I'm taking the exam to joing the militia. I was hoping to sign up and take it today but then Ewan showed up and brought me back here."

"Are you sorry he did?" Chrono wondered aloud.

"Sorry he gave me the chance to see you?!" questioned Rosette, "Are you kidding me?! I can still sign up for the exam another time. I've been wanting to see you for a long time. As long as I can remember, really, because I've always known that you existed.

"Well, I'm here now."

"And about that, there's something I want to ask you," Rosette began, then waited for his sign of encouragement to continue, "What was it like? Being brought back, I mean."

The question did not come as a complete surprise to Chrono but he still took a moment to think over his answer, "Physically, I didn't really feel much at all. It was similar to when I died. I felt tired but I wasn't really in any pain. It was kind of like being pulled backwards through a dark tunnel, you feel the movement even though you can't see that you are moving. Emotionally, it was one of the most painful things I've ever experienced. You know that I told Rosette Christopher that I never intended to live beyond the day she died. When I first ceam back, I didn't know you were here. For several reasons, I did not want to exist in a world without Rosette. I was essentially being forced to return to a life I didn't want to live. At first, I couldn't feel anything except guilt and despair."

Rosette's eyes softened as she listened to his speech and now she moved closer to him. For a moment, Chrono thought she was going to comfort him, then he remembered exactly who she was and ducked just in time to avoid being smacked in the back of the head.

"What was that for?" he shouted.

"That," answered Rosette, "Was for being an idiot. If you're given a second chance at life you should always see it as a gift. When I was Rosette Christopher, because I'm sure now that I was, I never regretted making the contract. So, you shouldn't feel guilty about that. I wanted to help you survive as much as you wanted to help me survive. So, even if I wasn't here now as Rosette Remington, wherever I was, I would have been happy to know that you were given a second chance."

When Chrono spoke again, his voice was just above a whisper, "You would have been in heaven, if you hadn't been reborn. In fact, you probably were there for about sixty years."

"Why do you say that?"

"Because you weren't where I was," Chrono's simple statement sent Rosette into a shocked silence.

The silence stretched on for several long, uncomfortable seconds before Rosette actually did wrap her arms around Chrono's neck in a comforting embrace. When she pulled away again, Chrono smiled at her to let her know that he was okay now then he quickly changed the subject, "So, what exactly does a television do?"

The question surprised a laugh out of Rosette, "Well, do you remember moving pictures? A television, or TV, is like a small version of that except you get to choose from many movies or TV shows, which are like short movies with ongoing stories, usually once a week."

Chrono nodded, taking in the information and Rosette pointed to one of the smaller box-shaped devices below the television, "If there is nothing good on TV, you can hook it up to the DVD player, or some people still use VCRs, and play a movie on a disc like that one there, or a video casette."

"How does it work"

"I can show you," Rosette replied, "Do you wanna actually watch one?"

"Do you?" Chrono asked but with a eager gleam in his eye that told Rosette he wanted to.

Rosette gave a one-shouldered shrug, "Sure. Why not? I can't seem to fall asleep and I don't really have anything better to do. I left school before I could be assigned any homework today. Do you wanna pull the sofa out first. That way, if you get tired you can just fall asleep. Also, I think it's more comfortable that way."

Chrono gave her a bewildered look in response, causing Rosette to laugh again. She pulled out the sofa bed then ran to get blankets and pillows. When she returned, she and Chrono looked through the movie collection before settling on the original Star Wars movie (A/N: I don't own Star Wars either). Rosette put the movie in and hopped onto the sofa bed, patting the spot next to her until Chrono sat down.

As the movie played on, Chrono became more captivated. Rosette was torn between being amused at his childlike wonder and being annoyed that he was too absorbed in the movie to even notice her. In the end she, for once, let amusement win out and even put the second movie in for him.

When this movie came to an end, Chrono asked, "Is there another one? Can we watch it, too?"

There was no answer. Chrono turned to the girl next to him for the first time since the movie started. Rosette was laying on her side, facing him, with her eyes closed. She had finally managed to fall asleep. Chrono felt the corners of his mouth turn up in a soft smile as he leaned over to pull the blankets up over her. He then leaned back to lay down on his side of the bed. He closed his eyes and, even knowing that his dreams would likely take the form of nightmares, he let the gentle sounds of Rosette's breathing lull him off to sleep.


	9. Realization

Disclaimer: I hope you know by now that I don't own Chrno Crusade.

A/N: This chapter seems kind of all over the place to me. It's not my favorite but I hope you can all still enjoy it. I also want to thank all of the reviewer, especially those who have reviewed multiple times (p3paula, cecil, snekochan, ashen phoenix, and freedom phantom).

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 8 - Realization**

The apartment was quiet when Ewan returned in the early hours of the morning. Despite this, he saw a faint glow coming from the living room. He made his way to the entrance to the room and peered in. The television was on but nothing was playing. It merely showed a blank, blue screen. Puzzled by this, he moved further into the room and glanced around. What he saw brought a small smile to his face. Laying together on the sofa bed, sound asleep, were his adopted daughter and purple-haired devil. Both looked completely at peace. The image they made gave Ewan hope for the future, something he had not felt for a long time.

Walking over to the television set, he switched it off and turned to leave the room. He was stopped on his way out by a question for the now awakened Chrono, "So, you're back?"

"In more ways than one," Ewan replied, facing Chrono.

Chrono's eyes widened as he noticed the uniform the blond mad was wearing, "So, you've returned to the Order as well. I did wonder if that was wher you went last night. So, are you planning on administering Rosette's militia test again?"

"I suppose you would prefer it if I didn't," laughed Ewan, "given what happened last time."

"I have to admit, I was on edge the entire time. In reality, I wish we could convince her not to join the militia, at all. Not only would it put her in more danger, it would be one more thing that resembles the past. But, she is Rosette. I know there is no way to change her mind once it's made up."

Ewan nodded, "I know exactly how you feel. As you say, though, she's not likely to change her mind and at the moment, my thoughts are too jumbled to try to convince anyone of anything, anyway. So, if you'll excuse me, I'd like to take some time to rest and refresh myself."

Chrono nodded as Ewan left the room. As a devil, it was easier than it would be as a human to comprehend an angel's need for rest. He knew that whether Earthly, Heavenly or demonic, all beings had very similar basic needs. The three in the apartment made a prime example. At that thought, Chrono lowered his gaze to the sleeping girl next to him. He had hear the expression 'dead to the world' used to describe sound sleepers before. The phrase seemed to fit here but applying it to Rosette sent a shiver down the devil's spine. In fact, if it weren't for the sounds of her even breathing, her sleeping stillness would be driving him insane. He had a feeling he would never be completely at ease with her sleeping. It was too similar to the stillness of death.

For over a half an hour Chrono sat watching the sleeping girl before her eyes began to flutter. When she finally managed to wake up, she squinted at him and mumbled, "G'morning, Chrono."

Chrono blinked, surprised my the calmness of her waking. This only lasted for about half a second before Rosette's eyes flew open and she shrieked, "Chrono? What are you doing in bed with me? What were you thinking, you perv?"

"Whoa. Wait just a minute, Rosette," Chrono gave an exasperated sigh, "You're the one who fell asleep in my bed."

"I did not. I..." Rosette's voice trailed off as she finally looked around the room to discover that Chrono was correct. This was not her room. It was indeed the living room, where he was supposed to be sleeping. That meant SHE had been the one to sleep in HIS bed. The thought brought a blush to the girl's face. She was about to make a rude comment to hide her embarrassment when she was interrupted by the sound of someone clearing their throat.

"Honestly," spoke Ewan from the doorway, "I never knew anyone else who could be so noisy first thing in the morning."

Rosette's blush grew deeper but her eyes took on a mischievous sparkle as she asked, "Really? Never?"

Ewan merely raised an eyebrow at his adopted daughter as he stepped into the room. Rosette was annoyed that Ewan more or less ignored her question but her irritation turned to surprise as she, too, realized what the man who had raised her was wearing.

Rather than questin him directly about his return to the Order, Rosette sighed, "Great, now what am I supposed to call you?"

"I suppose I could ask you the same question," he replied.

"That's easy," answered the girl, "You'll call me Rosette. That's what I wanted to be called all along, anyway. But what about you? I can't very well switch and start calling you Father Remington at this point. It would be too weird, especially seeing as I'm a Remington, too."

"Hmm. I see your point. I see nothing wrong with you continuing to call me Ewan, if you wish. Chrono, since I'm assuming you'll be working most closely with Rosette, that applies to you as well. Unless, of course, you prefer Father Remington."

"Ewan should be fine. So, now that you've returned to the Order, what happens next?"

"Well," Ewan met Chrono's eye, "I guess the next step would be Rosette passing her militia exam."

"Really? I always thought you didn't really want me to take the test," Rosette spoke with a mixture of excitement and confusion.

"I don't. But, I also dont think I have much of a choice at this point."

Rosette's stomach growled at this point. Chrono and Ewan stopped and stared at her then caught each others glances and started laughing. When the laughter died down, Chrono proclaimed, "Actually, I think the next order of business is getting Rosette some breakfast before she decides to eat us."

"Agreed," Ewan laughed before leading the others into the kitchen, "What sounds good?"

"Pancakes!" Rosette all but shouted, "and eggs and bacon and sausages and toast and yogurt and fruit."

Ewan laughed good-naturedly. Chrono smiled and shook his head at Rosette. He was reminded of a time not long after Rosette Christopher had been forced to leave Seventh Bell Orphanage and start her training with the Magdalene Order. No longer having to share limited amounts of food with several other growing children, it was then that she had truly been introduced to the sin of gluttony. The girl's eyes had started gleaming the first time she really had all she could eat.

He was snapped out of his thoughts as Ewan placed a plate of food in front of him. It smelled delicious and when he took a bite it tasted delicious. As he sat, eating and watching the others, he was amazed to realize how extremely happy he was to have been brought back. It was a second chance in more ways than anyone else realized. It was a second chance to defeat Aion, to atone for the sins of his past, to protect Rosette. With all that, the second chance he was most hoping for was still unmentioned.

Again his thoughts were interrupted, this time but Rosette jumping out of her seat, "Okay! I'm done! Can we go now?"

"May Chrono and I finish eating first?" Ewan asked.

"Fine. If you have to."

Realizing Rosette's impatience was genuine, Chrono focused on the rest of his meal. He began to feel Rosette gazing intensely at him, waiting for him to finish. As soon as the last bite was in his mouth, she practically flew to the door. Giving Ewan a wary look, Chrono stood up and followed her, at a pace much more slowly than her own.


	10. Rescue?

Disclaimer: I do not, in any way, shape or form, own Chrno Crusde.

A/N: Sorry about the long break everyone. I meant to post this chapter about three weeks ago but the day I was going to post it, I got in a car accident and was pretty badly hurt (but I am going to be okay). Now I'm home and back at my computer so I hope you enjoy this chapter. This chapter ended up quite different from what I originally planned but I'll get it back to my original plan next chapter (I think).

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 9 - Rescue?**

Ewan led the others into the small room overlooking the exam center. He walked to the window and gazed down on the maze-like training ground before turning toe face Rosette, "So, what do you think?"

"It hasn't changed much at all. It looks almost exactly like I remember it," replied Rosette, a grin spreading across her face.

"That doesn't mean you don't have to be careful," Chrono reminded her.

"Yeah, yeah. I remember what happened last time," Rosette huffed, "but there is no way Azmaria's in there now and there won't be any real devils in there this time either. So relax. Don't be such a wet blanket."

As soon as the words left her mouth, Rosette marched over to the door leading to the training area and threw it open. She turned back to Chrono long enough to stick her tongue out at him before whirling around again, storming through the door and letting it slam shut behind her. When the door slammed shut, Chrono glanced at Ewan and noticed the oddly amused expression he wore upon his face. Chrono felt his stomach drop and felt a low growl in his throat, "Ewan! Tell me there are no real devils in there!"

Ewan gave a sheepish grin, "Well...I can't tell you that honestly. But rest assured, it is a low level devil. It's nothing she can't handle on her own. Besides, it is the best way to accurately determine her current skill level."

"Yeah, but..."

"Don't worry. She'll be fine."

Chrono nodded but he felt no comfort from Ewan's words. All he could do was wait and watch for Rosette to return.

Meanwhile, Rosette was making her way through the maze below. As she crept around the nearest corner she found herself staring at the back of a rather large, fairly ugly devil. She knew it was the real thing and had to cover her mouth to keep from gasping in surprise and alerting the devil to her presence. She felt a sudden pang of guilt for teasing Chrono earlier. Reaching for her weapon, Rosette was shocked to discover that she only had barrier wards. In her haste to prove herself, she had left the observation room without a gun. She smacked herself on the forehead. Unfortunately, the sound of her hand making contact with her head was enough to catch the devil's attention.

Now Rosette did let out a gasp as the devil faced her and met her gaze. An evil grin lit up the devil's face. Rosette turned and ran back the way she had come. She flew around corners, trying to remember the path she had used while also trying to outrun the devil at her back. Somewhere along the way, she realized she had made a wrong turn but she had no real option other than to continue runnning. She began to pray with all her might. She prayed that she would find the exit. She prayed that Chrono and Ewan would somehow realize the prediciment she was in and come to her rescue. She prayed that an exorcist gun would miraculously appear before her.

Much to her disappointment, it seemed her prayers were going unanswered. In fact, her situation grew worse as she rounded another corner to find herself at a dead-end. She spun around but the devil was already blocking her path, the grin on his face having grown considerably. Left with no other choice, Rosette grabbed her barrier wards and threw them in the devil's direction. That should at least hold him for a few minutes. However, the problem still remained that Rosette had nowhere to go. The sizeable devil was still blocking her only escape route. The girl wracked her brain trying to think up any ideas that might help her. Suddenly, her fight with Aion returned to her. If the psalm had done that much damage to Aion, it would surely work against this devil as well.

Concentration, Rosette recited to words again, watching as the devil's eyes widened in stunned horror. As she finished the last word, Rosette was aware of an intense burst of light and a searing pain in her head. She felt herself slipping to the ground and managed to choke out Chrono's name before everything went dark.

In the observation room, Ewan let out a surprised, "Oh!"

"What?" Chrono asked in an exasperated voice, not sure he wanted to know the answer.

"Well," began Ewan, preparing himself for the devil's wrath, "it would appear that Rosette went into the training area virtually unarmed."

"What?!"

Ewan cleared his throat, "She does have her barrier wards with her, at least I hope she does, but she has no exorcist gun; no way to actually get rid of the devil."

"How can you tell me that so calmly?" roared Chrono, "We've gotta get in ther and help her. That thing could kill her if she's unarmed, even if he is a low level devil."

No sooner had the words left Chrono's mouth than the room below was filled with a blinding light. When the light faded, Chrono stood, momentarily paralyzed, gaping at the rooom below. The moment passed and a terrified, anguished scream left the mouth of the purple-haired demon, "ROSETTE!"

In the split second before the devil rushed passed him, Ewan saw the sheer panic in Chrono's eyes. He watched as Chrono tore the door separating the two rooms off its hinges and ran through it. Torn between his desire to leave Chrono and Rosette to themselves and his own fear for Rosette, Ewan paused momentarily before following after Chrono.

Chrono raced through the maze, searching for any sign of Rosette. Finally, he caught sight of a small, burnt-looking object in the enterance to another passageway. Moving closer to the it, he found it was the charred remains of a barrier ward. There was nothing left of the barrier itself. Looking down the passageway, Chrono felt his breath catch in his throat. Laying face-down in front of a wall blocking off the passage was Rosette. Once again, Chrono screamed her name as he ran to her side.

Ewan appeared in the passageway just as Chrono dropped to his knees beside the unconcious girl. Shuddering, he asked the devil, "Is she alright?"

"She's still alive," replied Chrono, reaching out to turn Rosette over. As he did so, an anguished sob escaped his lips as he saw the marks adorning Rosette's forehead.

Ewan caught sight of the marks as well and lowered his eyes to the floor. Rosette had managed to defeat the devil but cost had been great.

Chrono gently cradled the girl to his chest and reached out to touch the marks. A single tear made its way down his cheek as he whispered a single word, "Why?"


	11. Relics

Disclaimer: Neither Chrno Crusade, nor any of the characters, belong to me.

A/N: Hey! I'm back. Sorry it's been so long. I'm really trying not to take so long but things happen, you know? Anyway, thanks to those of you who are still reading. Here is the new chapter for you.

**A Promise to Keep**

**Ch. 10 - Relics**

Chrono and Ewan sat, watching over the unconscious girl in the infimary of the Magdalene Order's school building. Despite the fact that the nurse had assured them atht Rosette seemed to be suffering from nothing more serious than exhaustion, Chrono refused to take his eyes off of her for fear that she would simply disappear. The new marks on Rosette's forehead added to his fear.

"I'm sure she'll be fine, Chrono," Ewan attempted to comfort the devil, "After all, no contract has been made. And you've seen what she's capable of now. She's more than strong enough to handle this, this time around."

Chrono didn't make any response. He didn't even lift his eyes to meet Ewan's. He wanted to believe the blond man but after everything that had happened, Chrono's greatest fear was losing Rosette again. Logically, it shouldn't be this way. Not just the fact that they were both given a second chance at life, although that was far from normal as well. Now, what really shoudn't be were these emotions. A devil should not be so easily affected by a human. He shook his head. He was thinking too much. With a sigh, Chrono reached a hand forward to cup Rosette's cheek. He almost jerked his hand away in surprise as he felt her move into his touch.

Now completely losing awareness of anything outside the two of them, Chrono leaned over the sleeping girl and whispered her name, "Rosette?"

"Mm?" Rosette mumbled in response, without really awakening. It was enough, however to allow some of the tension to release itself from Chrono's shoulders. He chanced a quick glance at Ewan.

Ewan smiled in response, "Feeling better? I told you it would take more than that to stop her."

Rosette picked that exact moment to open her eyes, "Hey, guys. What happened? I'm starving."

The final traces of worry left Chrono's face as he started chuckling. Leave it to Rosette to be more concerned about her stomach than about her possible near-death experience. Shaking his head, he asked her, "How about we answer your questions over some lunch? Do you want to eat in the cafeteria here or go out somewhere?"

"Whatever's closest," replied Rosette, making both her companions break into laughter.

"The cafeteria it is, then," Ewan proclaimed when he managed to catch his breath.

The three of them made their way to the cafeteria. The entire way, Chrono kept a close eye on Rosette, prepared to catch her or lend her support at the first sign of weakness. This was all, apparently, uncalled for as she strode confidently down the hallways leading to their destination. Then, when they reached the door to the cafeteria, she threw it open so hard that Chrono wouldn't have been surprised to find it had left a dent in the wall. He was distracted from this bizarre thought as he caught a glimpse of the room they were entering, "Wow! It really hasn't changed much."

"Well, one thing's changed," replied Rosette, who was salivating from the scent of the food.

"Oh, yeah? What's that?"

Rosette laughed, "The food is marginally better."

Chrono's laughter joined hers but Ewan questioned, "Only marginally?"

"Well," Rosette answered, "It is still cafeteria food, isn't it?"

Now it was Ewan's turn to laugh, "Yes, I suppose that's true."

The trio dished up their food and found seats. The ever well-mannered Rosette shoved a forkful of noodles in her mouth before turning to the other two and asking, "So, now are you going to tell me how I ended up waking up in the infirmary?"

Chrono and Ewan exchanged glances. Chrono nodded, an indication that Ewan give the explanation. Taking a deep breath, the blond man began, "Well, once again you came face to face with a real devil in the exam area."

He was interrupted at this point by Chrono muttering something under his breath.

"Anyway," continued Ewan, "You were left to face this devil without any real weaponry because you, in your haste, entered the exam area without a gun. A rather careless act, I might add. We're not quite sure what happened after that, but it took a lot out of you. You scared the living daylights out of Chrono, here."

"As if you weren't worried about her, too," mumbled Chrono.

"Especially," Ewan added, ignoring Chrono's remark, "since you seem to have received another mark of the stigmata."

"Huh?" was Rosette's intelligent reply, "Is that why my head hurts?"

Ewan frowned, "Possibly."

"Hey, wait a minute! You didn't tell me the most important part!"

"Oh? And what part is that?" inquired Ewan.

"You didn't tell me whether or not I passed."

Ewan grinned, "Ah, well, your over-eagerness, may I remind you, caused you to forget your weapon. That's hardly the way to begin your exam." He paused here as he watched her hopeful expression fade, " However, you managed to defeat the devil anyway and that was impressive. Honestly, I don't know of anyone currently in the militia who could do such a thing."

By this point, Rosette was thoroughly exasperated, "Well, did I pass or not?"

"I will allow you to pass on one condition," Ewan stated, giving her time to nod her agreement, "You are never to let your eagerness cloud your judgement like that again. If I ever hear of another incident like this one, I will personally revoke your militia status. Aside from that, I think congratulations are in order."

Rosette's eyes lit up, "Really? Thank you, thank you, thank you!"

"Wait, there's more," said Ewan, "Since you passed your test and joined the militia, I think a little present is in order."

He pulled a clunky package out of his coat and handed it to her. She tore the wrappings off of it and stared for a moment. Finally, she looked at Ewan, then back at the gift, and back at Ewan.

"These are my... But how did you...? These are, like, eighty years old," Rosette gushed as her fingers caressed the metal objects that she had owned in another life, "Do they still work?"

"Oh, they should work just fine. The Elder was good for a few things, after all."

"I just can't believe it. I never expected to see these old guns again."

"Yes, well, now that you have them, try not to forget them," joke Ewan.

Chrono watched as the others shared a laugh but he couldn't bring himself to join in. He was relieved that Rosette was okay and glad that she was happy but he still felt that something was off. Everything was still looking the same. The test, the marks, now even the guns. The only real difference was the contract. He didn't know how that would change things but he was becoming less and less sure he wanted to find out.


	12. Relive

Disclaimer: I do not own Chrno Crusade or any of the Chrno Crusade characters.

A/N: Hi everyone! I'm finally back. I have been so busy this summer it is ridiculous but at least I finally have my inspiration back. Thanks to those of you who review. Your ideas and questions were really helpful to me. Because of this I am going to respond to some of the reviews here even though I've never done that before.

_**Eva:**_ The story is mainly based on the anime but will have some elements of the manga involved. You will probably see your favorite character in future chapters.

_**Ashen Phoenix:**_ I'm glad you are enjoying my story and I'm happy that I've been helpful to you in writing yours.

_**Iceo: **_I like the power boost idea. Maybe I'll use that soon.

_**Oky Verlo:**_ I will most likely have the other sinners appear when we get a little further into some real fighting.

_**Demon-Boy-Chrono:**_ Hopefully the starlit night in this chapter will live up to your expectations.

**A Promis to Keep**

**Ch. 11 - Relive**

"Rosette?" Chrono opened the door to Rosette's room and stuck his head inside, " Can I talk to you for awhile?"

"Of course. You don't need to ask, Chrono. You can talk to me anytime," answered Rosette, patting the spot next to where she was sitting on her bed.

Chrono glanced around the room, his expression was difficult to read, "Not here. I was hoping we could go somewhere. Not that I really know where to go."

"Alright," Rosette replied uncertainly before the confidence returned to her voice, "I think I know just the place. You wanna drive or fly?"

"Now that's a difficult question. On the one hand, if we fly, people in the city might notice and that could add to any panic that the fight between Aion and I caused yesterday. On the other hand, I remember what your driving is like and I'm not sure I want to risk that."

Rosette punched his upper arm in response to his last comment. She wasn't really offended. She knew that her driving skills were atrocious in her past life. She was a marginally better driver now. After all, she had to be to get her license in the first place. So, after punching her companion, she told him, "Well, the choice is yours. You can terrify yourself or risk terrifying half the city."

"When you put it that way I suppose we ought to drive," Chrono groaned.

"Great," Rosette grabbed his arm and pulled him out of the room. After a brief stop in the kitchen to grab her purse, Rosette led Chrono out of the apartment and to the place where her car was parked. It was in reasonably good condition, considering who the primary driver was. It was also quite a bit smaller than the cars Chrono had been used to in the past.

"It doesn't really look very safe. It looks like it would just crumple up if it hit something," he stated.

"Trust me, cars are built way stronger now than they were in the 1920s," Rosette commented with a laugh. Then, with a smirk, she added, "The can also go much faster."

Chrono's eyes grew wide and he visibly paled, "On second thought, maybe we should fly, after all."

Rosetter rolled her eyes, "If you insist."

"In that case, you need to tell me where it is that we're going."

"Do you remember the lake?" asked Rosette, "The one we took Azmaria to? That's where we're going."

A small, sad smile played about Chrono's lips. He remembered the lake. He thought back to the day they had last been there. Everyone had been so happy and relaxed, at least until they were attacked. It was actually one of his favorite memories. Glancing at the sky, Chrono figured that if they left now, they would reach the lake around sunset. That would be perfect. Sunset had always been Rosette's favorite time of day in the past.

"Hello? Earth to Chrono," Rosette's voice broke him out of his reverie.

"Huh?" was Chrono's intelligent response.

"You never answered my question."

Chrono blinked. He had momentarily forgotten what the question was. When he remembered, he replied, "Yeah. I remember the lake."

"Well, then, what are we waiting for?" Rosette questioned impatiently.

Chrono nodded and stepped closer to Rosette. She, in turn, wrapped her arms around her neck and jumped up into his open arms so that he could carry her bridal style during their flight. Once the girl in his arms was secure, Chrono leapt from the ground and Rosette gave a squeal of delight as she watched the world fall farther and farther away. The flight itself was made it silence. It was not, however an uncomfortable silence, it was merely that the freedom that came with flying didn't easily lend itself to heavy conversation and neither could think of anything light to speak of. It was mutually understood that until they landed, there was really nothing that needed to be said.

When they set down at the lake, the sky was beginning to glow brilliant pinks and oranges with a random purple cloud here and there. Before even a word was spoken, Chrono began to gather wood to create a fire, knowing they would not be leaving before it was full dark out. When the fire was lit, Chrono sat down on a log, facing the setting sun. He gestured for Rosette to sit beside him and she willingly did so. Chrono remained quiet for a long time, watching the sun move lower and lower in the sky. Rosette wanted to know why they had come here but decided, for once, to wait until Chrono was ready to speak. As the last bit of sun dipped below the horizon, Chrono finally turned to look at Rosette only to find two tears were making their way down her cheeks.

"What's wrong, Rosette?" Chrono practically shouted, on the verge of panic.

"I'm sorry, Chrono," answered Rosette in a whisper, "It just reminded me. The last time we watched the sunset together..."

Chrono sighed, "Actually, Rosette, that kind of relates to what I wanted to talk to you about."

Rosette gave an involuntary jerk and her eyes grew round in shock, "You wanted to talk to me about dying?"

"Yes. Well, no. Not really. I mean..." Chrono took a deep breath and started over, "It's just that I'm really worried. Everything that's happening is just too similar to what happened before. I want to be able to protect you this time. I want to be able to tell you with certainty that things will end differently this time. I want it to end better. But no matter how badly I want these things, I can't make any guarantees, especially when things keep playing out the same."

Rosette glanced up at the now darkened sky, where a smattering of stars were beginning to appear and said with a smile, "You know, you could always try wishing on a star to make things different this time."

Another sigh escaped before Chrono could stop it, "If I thought it would make a difference, I would wish on every star in the sky to avoid having to relive the pain of watching you slowly dying in front of my eyes."

At these words, Rosette returned her gaze to Chrono's face. What she saw there caused her to pull back and study him with a look of disbelief on her own face, "C-Chrono? Is it possible...? Do...Do you...? Are you in love with me?"

Startled, Chrono wanted to deny feeling anything for the girl sitting next to him but the look in her eyes made him nod honestly, "I always have been."

Rosette's eyes narrowed and Chrono, frightened by this, made to leap up from the log, but was stopped by Rosette's hands on his cheeks. She leaned closer and, under the starlit sky, the devil and the girl he protecte shared their first, sweet kiss.


	13. READ

Hey everyone! Because this story has been giving me a lot of trouble, I have decided to take a break from it to focus on my new story. However, if there is anyone who is interested in co-authoring this story and would like to take over for a few chapters, please contact me.


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